Angle-splice for railway-joints



(No Model.)

J. D 'I-IAWKS. Angle-Splice for Railway-Joint.

No. 228,347. Patented June 1, 1880. i

UNITED STATES PATENT Brice.

JAMES D. HAWKS, OF PAINESVILLE, OHIO.

ANGLE-SPLICE FOR RAI LWAY-JOINTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,347, dated June 1,1880.

Application filed April 19, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. HAWKS, of Painesville, in the'county ofLake and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements inAngle- Splices for Railway- Joints, of which the following is aspecification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved construction of the joints ofrailway-rails; and it has reference more particularly to that class of joints by which two rails of different heights are secured together.

Previous to my invention these joints have usually been formed byfish-plates, the ends of which were arranged at difi'erent heights,corresponding with the position of the rails, said ends being connectedby an inclined neck adjacent to the abutting ends of the rails.

This inclined neck forms the weakest part of the fish-plate, and beingarranged opposite the ends of the rails, where the strain upon thefish-plate is greatest,it is easily broken, whereby frequent repairs arenecessitated in 2 joints of this kind.

The object of my invention is to obviate this defect; and it consists ofa rail-joint for connecting two rails of different heights, in which anangle-splice is used which has its base-flange bent to'correspond withthe position of the bases of the two abutting rails, as will behereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved rail-joint. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of one of the splices.Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections in lines was and y 3 Fig. 1,respectively.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a high rail, and B a low rail, having their heads 0 darranged on the same level, and their bases or feet of supported oncross-ties or sleepers G H at different heights.

I represents my improved splice, made angular in cross-section, andhaving its baseflange i bent, as shown at 7c, to correspond with theposition of the bases 0 f of the rails, and having its web or verticalflange Z fitted under the heads of the two rails, as clearly shown.

(No model.)

When the heads of the two rails which are to be secured together are ofthe same crosssection the splice may be rolled straight, with the upperedge of its vertical web shaped to fit under the heads of the rails, andthen bent to fit the rails; but when the heads of the rails are ofdifferent cross-section the splice may be rolled from onecross-section,and after bending the splice the edge of one portion ofthe vertical flange must be planed to fit under the head of the railwhich difl'ers in form from that to which the splice is rolled.

'lwo splices, I, are arranged on opposite sides of the abutting railsand secured by bolts m in the manner in which ordinary fishplates aresecured to the rails.

My improved splice is of uniform strength throughout its entirelcngtlnand a rail-joint constructed with the same is as strong anddurable as an ordinary rail joint in which rails of the same height aresecured together. It prevents the removal of two rails from any part ofthe track and the substitution of high rails in their place withoutcausing a weakening of the track by reason of an unreliable joint at thepoint where the high rails are secured to the low rails, and it iseasily constructed at a reasonable cost.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A splice made angular in cross-section and having its base-flange iconstructed with a bend, 70, whereby the base-flange of the splice isadapted to fit upon the bases of two abutting rails of unequal height,and having its vertical web Z fitted under the heads of the abuttingrails, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with two abutting rails, A B, of unequal height, oftwo angle-splices, I, having their base-flanges bent at It and theirwebs fitted under the heads of the rails, the splices being applied toboth sides of the rails and secured thereto by bolts m, substantially asshown and described.

J. D. HAIVKS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WILHELM, JNo. J. BONNER.

